NORTHERN WYOMING by O. S. Ferren

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 31, 1901

NORTHERN WYOMING.

By O. S. Ferren

AFTER closing a series of tent-meetings at Alliance, Neb., where six accepted the truth, were baptized, and united with the church, our tent company attended the State meeting at Lincoln, after which, accompanied by Brother Jay Nethery, we returned to northern Wyoming to visit the three organized churches and the isolated Sabbath-keepers in that part of the State.

Six years ago last October the General Conference sent Brother Ketring and myself to Sheridan, where we pitched our tent and began meetings. Our tent was banked around the base, and was furnished with electric lights, and warmed with two large heaters. October 11 we held our first meeting. November 20 a church of about sixteen members was organized. Later on, others united, until we numbered over twenty. Removals, death, and apostasy left the little church with only a few members, but others have moved in, a few taking a stand with them, until we have another live church. We have had no place of meeting only in private rooms until now. The people asked us why we did not build a church. We told them that when we got the cash, we would build. This has been the situation for six years. One brother said he would give one hundred dollars, and other brethren gave over three hundred dollars. We took the subscription paper to the business men, and in two days we had money enough to build, seat, paint, hard finish, light, and heat a nice little church, 24 x 36 ft., with entry 6 x 8 ft. Brethren Cook and Beams, Brother and Sister Nethery, and the writer camped on the ground, in tents and colporteur wagons, working from before light in the morning until nine or ten at night. Our brethren came to help us, and the sisters brought cooked foods, until the dedication, December 7, 8, when Elders Nelson, Brown, and Johnson arrived, and found a goodly number of our people camped on the ground, ready for the meeting. When we announced through the papers that the building was completed and ready for dedication, and that there would be no collection taken, all bills being paid, the people of the neighborhood rejoiced with us.

This is the first church of Seventh-day Adventists in northern Wyoming. We are building another, of logs, forty miles from Sheridan, on Columbus Creek. This is the first time our ministerial brethren have visited this part of Wyoming. They left a good impression of the onward march of the great message for the times, and I trust they received encouragement from all the companies they visited. May God’s rich blessings abide with the consecrated worshipers.

O. S. FERREN.